And on a cheerier note

Sir, – A recent poll suggests that, if you see someone mooching down the street, hunched over, hands deep in pockets, looking like someone stole their scone, it’ll be a unionist.

On the other hand, if the person is skipping along, smiling at passers-by, looking like they have the winning lottery ticket in their pocket, he or she will be an independence supporter.

Anybody who was on the recent marches for independence In Glasgow and Dumfries, or saw the footage, will have seen the visual manifestation of this: the masses dancing and singing, with a few unionists on the sidelines barking and howling.

The poll doesn’t explain why, but I would suggest that the unionist is “looking forward” to a little England Brexit of decline and decay, in thrall to Trump, governed in perpetuity by a mean-spirited, rapacious Tory Party.

His smiling counterpart, on the other hand, is looking forward to a self-governing Scotland, looking outward, confident of its place in the world, putting the welfare of its people first.

We would still have the midgies and the Scotland football team, but, as the great Dundee poet and philosopher Saint Andrew sings... “it’s rare t’be alehv”. Les Mackay. Carmichael Gardens, Dundee.